TAPE PRINTER

Abstract: There is provided a tape printing apparatus for printing desired character string data on a tapelike printing object, in which a plurality of functions can be set with a single physical operation means. When a character size setting function key is operated (S14), the position of a cursor existing on a display screen is detected. The character size is set over the whole sentence (S24) if the cursor is positioned on the right side of a line head mark, set by paragraph (S23) if the cursor is positioned at the head of the first line of each paragraph, and set by line (S22) if the cursor is positioned on the right side of the head of a line of each paragraph. In other cases, the size of characters from the cursor on is set or the character size is set word by word (S20, 21).

Description: The present invention relates to a tape printing apparatus for printing print data, such as a desired character string, on a tape, and more particularly, to a tape printing apparatus having a function for arbitrarily setting a character attribute such as character size and a font. The invention also pertains to a method of setting character attributes in a tape printing apparatus. There has been before provided a tape printing apparatus for printing data such as a desired character string (characters, symbols and the like) on a tape-like print medium. In this apparatus, a tape cartridge housing the tape-like print medium is detachably mounted. In the tape printing apparatus having such a structure, the size of characters to be printed is automatically changed according to the width of the tape in tape cartridge installed, as shown in JP-U-3-72461. This tape printing apparatus automatically switches the size of characters by line according to the width of the printing tape, and therefore, it is impossible to imagine what a print on the printing tape will look like. EP-A-0 551 995 discloses a tape printing apparatus having input means for inputting print data such as characters and symbols, and control information, display means for displaying print data input by said input means, position indicating means responsive to said control information for indicating a position relative to the print data displayed by said display means, and printer means for printing said input print data on a tape-like printing medium. In this prior art the size of the characters is automatically set depending on the number of lines of printing data to be printed. Additionally, the document allows setting a "line enhancement" (justification and alignment) of each line. For this setting the lines are sequentially selected in the order they have been input. In the prior art explained above, character attributes are automatically set dependent on either the tape width or the number of lines, respectively. Thus, character attributes cannot be set for an arbitrary subset of characters. The present invention aims to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a tape printing apparatus and a method which allow setting, with a few operation keys, a character attribute, such as a character size and a font, by paragraph or line and set the character attribute character by character in a line. This object is achieved with a printing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and a method as claimed in claim 9, respectively. Preferred embodiments of the invention are subject-matter of the dependent claims. In the tape printing apparatus of the present invention, since settings in different object areas, for example, change of character size over the whole line or character by character in the line, can be made with a single operation key based on a cursor position displayed on a display, operability of the tape printing apparatus can be enhanced drastically. As will be understood, an "object area" as the term is used in this text refers to all or a part of the characters or symbols input for printing. Thus, the object area may be a single character, a word, a line, a paragraph, a sentence etc. Embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings: Fig. 1 is a flow chart showing a key input processing routine of a tape writer representing an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is an outward view of the tape writer. Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a control circuit of the tape writer. Fig. 4 are views showing display states of an LCD panel when the character size is set line by line in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, and a print result obtained in response to the setting, respectively. Fig. 5 are views showing display states of the LCD panel when the character size is set character by character in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, and a print result obtained in response to the setting, respectively. Fig. 6 are views showing display states of the LCD panel when character ornament is changed by a character attribute setting means in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, and a print result obtained in response to the setting, respectively. Fig. 7 are views showing display states of the LCD panel when the type of a character font is changed by the character attribute setting means in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, and a print result obtained in response to the setting, respectively. Fig. 8 are views for explaining the setting of character size line by line when the number of lines is two. Fig. 9 are views for explaining the setting of character size of characters from a cursor position on. Fig. 10 are views for explaining the character size setting over the whole sentence. Fig. 11 are views for explaining the character size setting in a paragraph. Fig. 12 are views for explaining the setting of character size word by word. Fig. 13 are views for defining object areas in which the character size is set. In order to facilitate better understanding of the above-mentioned structure and operation of the present invention, a tape writer, in which a character attribute set in accordance with the teachings of the present invention is a character size, will be described hereinafter. [Structure of Hardware] Fig. 2 is a view showing the outward appearance of a tape writer 1 according to this embodiment. The tape writer 1 comprises, as shown in the figure, a main case 10 for housing various components therein, a keyboard 11 with 63 input keys, a liquid crystal panel 12 for displaying a character string or other information (referred to as "LCD panel" hereinafter), and a main cover 13 which can open and close. A tape cartridge 20, in which an ink ribbon (not shown) and a printing tape 22 to be printed by using this ink ribbon are housed, is loaded in a tape cartridge holder 14 provided in the upper left part of the main body. When the tape writer 1 is used, the main cover 13 is first opened as shown in Fig. 2, and the tape cartridge 20 is loaded in the tape cartridge holder 14. At this time, the tape cartridge 20 is loaded so that the printing tape 22 comes out of the main case 10 through the tape ejection slot 16, and then the main cover 13 is closed. Then, the power is turned on by operating a power key 11a, and characters to be printed and attributes related to the characters are input from the keyboard 11. When an instruction to start printing is given by operating a print key 11b, the input characters are printed on the printing tape 22 supplied from the tape cartridge 20 according to the input attributes. The printed printing tape 22 is ejected from the tape ejection slot 16 formed on the left of the main case 10. When ejection is completed, the printing tape 22 is cut by a cutter (not shown) located near the tape ejection slot 16 of the main body by pressing down a cutter button 17, thereby cutting off the piece of tape that has been printed and which may be capable of sticking. Next, the configuration of a controller for controlling the operation of the tape writer 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. In the figure, numerals 30 and 31 denote a controller formed as a one-chip microcomputer to which, broadly, an input 32, a printer 33 and a display 34 are connected. The controller comprises a CPU 31 and a memory and interface section 30 including a ROM 30d for storing a program for controlling the operation of the CPU 31 and bit map character font data of character fonts differing in the number of dots needed to print a respective character on the printing tape 22, and a RAM 30c for storing data input from the input 32 as text or the like. Furthermore, an input interface 30a and an output interface 30b for exchanging data with the input 32, the printer 33 and the display 34 are also provided. The input 32 comprises the keyboard 11 whose 63 keys are divided into keys for inputting characters and keys for setting various functions. The character keys are used to input characters to be printed as text. The function keys are used to designate functions, such as setting of character attributes, printing and editing of sentences in the text. Instructions to set the print character size line by line or character by character according to the present invention are given by operating the function keys. The display 34 comprises the LCD panel 12 and an LCD drive circuit 34a for driving the LCD panel, and displays data of the text stored in the RAM 30c. The printer 33 comprises a thermal head 15, a stepping motor 33c, and driving circuits 33a and 33b therefor, and prints the data of the text stored in the RAM 30c on the printing tape 22 according to the set attributes. [Description of Software] The embodiment having the above electric configuration aims to solve the above-mentioned problem of the prior art by software. Processing steps for solving the problem are included in a key input processing routine. This processing will now be described. Fig. 1 is a flow chart showing the processing routine. When this processing routine is started, decision is first made as to whether key input is done (S11). If input is done by any of keys, decision is made as to whether the input key is a character key (S12). If it is, an input character is stored in the RAM 30c, processing for producing display on the LCD panel 12 is performed (S13), and the processing routine is put again into a key input standby state (S11). If the key operated for input is not a character key, but a key, to which a functional process is assigned, other than a character size key (S14), the functional process assigned to the key is carried out (S15), and the processing routine is put again into the key input standby state (S11). Next, when a key (size key) 11c, to which a character size change function is assigned, is operated (S14), as shown in Fig. 4(a), decision is made as to where a cursor 41 (position indicating mark) is positioned on the LCD panel 12 for displaying the text (S16, S17, S18 and S19). Figs. 4 and 5 show cases in which a paragraph where the cursor exists comprises one line. When the cursor 41 is positioned on the right side of a line head mark 40 as shown in Fig. 4(a) (S18), a screen display shown in Fig. 4(b) for allowing the character size to be changed by line is produced. The contents to be displayed in an inverted (highlighted) character size display portion 42 shown in Fig. 4(b) are changed by operating a key prepared to change the character size (for example, an arrow key) in this state, the character size by line is determined by a key prepared to confirm the changed state (for example, an execution key) (in this embodiment, the character size is set at 5) (S18), and the processing routine is put again into the key input standby state (S11). The result of printing performed on the set condition is shown in Fig. 4(c). If the cursor 41 is not positioned on the right side of the line head mark, as shown in Fig. 5(a), when the size key 11c is depressed, a screen display shown in Fig. 5(b) for allowing the size of characters from the cursor position on to be changed is produced. Herein, numerals 4, 4W and 5 denote character sizes, and bigger numerals represent bigger characters. -W- means "wide" and denotes a character of expanded width. When the arrow key is operated in this state, the screen display is changed to a display shown in Fig. 5(c), upon operation of the execution key the size smaller by one than the character size set by line decided on (S19), and the processing routine is put again in the key input standby state (S11). The result of printing performed on the set condition is shown in Fig. 5(d). Fig. 6 shows an example case of character ornament setting. If character ornament is selected when the cursor is positioned on the right side of the line head mark similar to Fig. 4(a), ornament can be selected as shown in Fig. 6(a). When "Italic" shown in Fig. 6(a) is selected, characters from the cursor position on are ornamented as shown in Fig. 6(b). If character ornament is selected when the cursor is not positioned on the right side next to the line head mark but at a position similar to Fig. 5(a), ornament can be selected as shown in Fig. 6(c) or 6(d). When "Outline" shown in Fig. 6(d) is selected, characters from the cursor position on are ornamented as shown in Fig. 6(e). Fig. 7 shows an example case of character font selection. If the cursor is positioned on the right side next to the line head mark the character font of the line is selected as shown in Fig. 7(a) and (b) (Sanserif is selected). If the cursor is not positioned next to the line head mark character font selection is similar to the ornament selection in Fig. 6(c)-(e). Object areas to be converted will now be described. Figs. 13(a) and (b) show object area names and object area examples. A sentence (132) is composed of at least one paragraph (131). The paragraph is composed of lines (133, 134) shown in Fig. 13(a). Each line is composed of one ore more words (135) as shown in Fig. 13(b). Fig. 8 shows an example case in which the number of lines is two. Figs. 8(a) to 8(g) show display states of character size settings. When the cursor is positioned at the head of a paragraph, the character size is set by line in the paragraph. When the character size is selected, the display changes in the order as shown in Figs. 8(b), (d) and (f), and a case in which characters in both lines are of the same size, a case in which characters in the lower line are bigger than those in the upper line, or a case in which characters in the lower line are smaller than those in the upper line can be selected. Squares on the lower right side of each of Figs. 8(b), (d) and (f) represent images of character sizes. Figs. 8(c), (e) and (g) respectively show print results in those cases. Although the case in which the number of lines is two is described above, the character size can be similarly selected if the number of lines is three or more. Fig. 9 shows a case in which the size of characters from the cursor on is set. The cursor is moved under -S- of the word "Size", by which characters from -S- on is to be converted. In this case, only characters in the same line of the same paragraph are set to be converted. Fig. 10 shows a case in which the size of characters in a sentence (all paragraphs) is set. As shown in Fig. 10(b), the cursor is put in the position of a line head mark of the first paragraph (leftmost paragraph) and further moved on the top of the line head mark by pressing an upward-pointing arrow key (↑), and the character size is set in this state, by which the character size can be changed all over the sentence. Fig. 10(c) shows a size setting screen for selecting small characters. As a result, characters shown in Fig. 10(a) are printed in a little reduced size as shown in Fig. 10(d). Fig. 11 shows an example case in which the character size is set by paragraph. The character size can be set by paragraph by setting the character size in a state in which the cursor is put in the position of the line head mark as shown in Fig. 11(b). Figs. 11(c) and (d) respectively show a size selection screen and a print result similarly to Figs. 10(c) and (d). Fig. 12 shows an example case in which the character size is changed word by word. According to the flow chart shown in Fig. 1, if the cursor is positioned at a blank, only the word just after the cursor is regarded as a character size setting object area. When the cursor is moved to the first character of the word and setting is made, the size of characters from the cursor on is set as mentioned above. As described above, according to the tape printing apparatus of the present invention, when the character size is changed, a plurality of setting functions, such as settings of the character size by sentence, by paragraph, by line, and by character in the line, can be achieved with a single key, depending on the cursor position displayed on the LCD panel. Although the cursor in the display screen takes the form of an underline in this embodiment, it may be an inverted (highlighted) mark or a flashing mark of the same size as that of characters to be displayed on the screen. Furthermore, although the character size to be set in Figs. 5(b) and (c) can be smaller than the character size set in Fig. 4(b) in this embodiment, it may be changed to the bigger size.

Claims: A tape printing apparatus having input means (11, 32) for inputting print data such as characters and symbols, and control information, display means (12, 34, 34a) for displaying print data input by said input means, position indicating means responsive to said control information for indicating a position relative to the print data displayed by said display means, character attribute setting means for setting a character attribute of the print data, and printer means (15, 33) for printing said input print data on a tape-like printing medium (22) in accordance with character attributes set by said character attribute setting means, characterized in that said character attribute setting means is adapted to set said character attribute within an object area, that comprises all or part of the print data input by said input means and that is determined in accordance with positional information from said position indicating means. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said character attribute setting means determines said object area to comprise all print data when said indicated position is a first predetermined position, determines said object area to comprise a paragraph next to said indicated position when said indicated position is a second predetermined position, and determines said object area to comprise a line next to said indicated position when said indicated position is a third predetermined position. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said positional information includes information whether or not said indicated position is the position of a blank. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when said indicated position is a blank said object area is a word. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said object area comprises the print data from said indicated position on. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said object area comprises print data within a paragraph including said indicated position. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said object area comprises the print data within a line including said indicated position. The apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the attribute set by said character attribute setting means is any one of a character size, a character font type and a character ornament. A method of setting a character attribute in a tape printing apparatus, comprising the steps of: (a) displaying print data such as characters and/or symbols to be printed by said printing apparatus, and (b) displaying a position indicating mark indicating a position relative to said displayed print data, characterized by the further steps of: (c) selecting an object area of print data by positioning said position indicating mark at one of multiple predetermined positions, said object area comprising one or more characters and/or symbols selected from the total of input print data, (d) selecting a character attribute, and (e) setting the character attribute selected in step (d) for the object area selected in step (c). The method of claim 9, wherein step (c) comprises selecting said object area in response to whether or not the position of said position indicating mark is the position of a blank. The method of claim 9, wherein said print data comprises text including at least one paragraph having a plurality of lines containing a plurality of words and, wherein when said position indicating mark is positioned at one of said multiple predetermined positions, one of the following areas is selectively determined as said object area: (a) at least one of the words contained in an area after the position of said position indicating mark, (b) that one of the plurality of lines including the position of said position indicating mark, (c) the at least one paragraph including the position of the position indicating mark, (d) or the whole text.

Inventors: HAYAMA HITOSHI, WATANABE KENJI, HAYAMA, HITOSHI, WATANABE, KENJI
Applicants: KING JIM CO LTD, SEIKO EPSON CORP, KING JIM CO., LTD., SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Application year: 1994
Main classification: G06F17
IPC codes: B41J3, G06F17